Courtesy: Google

Courtesy: Google

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday, January 24, commenced announcements as part of the ICC Awards 2024 by revealing the first three ICC Teams of the Year - The ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year, and the ICC Men’s and Women’s ODI Teams of the Year. On the first of five days of announcements, the standout XIs in both formats were revealed, selected by an independent panel of prominent cricket media – the ICC Voting Academy – on the basis of statistics and overall achievements in international cricket during the calendar year.

10 out of 11 players in ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year belong to Asia without any Indian players

Asia dominates the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year. Pakistan youngster Saim Ayub follows his nomination for the ICC Emerging Men’s Player of the Year with an opening spot in the ODI XI. The 22-year-old amassed 515 runs in his nine outings, and notably striking centuries against Zimbabwe, and two against South Africa.

Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz joins him as opener, with three centuries of his own among 531 runs during the year.

Charith Asalanka is nominated captain and he forms the middle order alongside teammates Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis. The trio ended the year as the top three highest ODI run-scorers for the year with Kusal topping the charts with 742 runs in a consistent year of competition.

All-rounders Sherfane Rutherford and Azmatullah Omarzai feature on the shortlist for the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year, and earn their spot in the Team of the Year thanks to stellar contributions with bat and ball. Rutherford averaged over 106 with 425 runs during the year, while Azmatullah’s 417 runs was backed up by 17 wickets.

AM Ghazanfar began the year with impressive performances for Afghanistan in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 in South Africa. An impressive entrance into senior cricket has seen the 18-year-old take 21 wickets in ODIs and earn a spot as a spin option alongside leading wicket-taker for the year, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga (26 wickets).

Pace comes in the form of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, who took 15 and 13 wickets respectively during the year and starred as Pakistan recorded landmark wins against Australia and South Africa at the latter end of the year.

Men’s ODI Team of the Year:

1. Saim Ayub (Pak)

2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afg)

3. Pathum Nissanka (SL)

4. Kusal Mendis (SL) (wk)

5. Charith Asalanka (SL) (c)

6. Sherfane Rutherford (WI)

7. Azmatullah Omarzai (Afg)

8. Wanindu Hasaranga (SL)

9. Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pak)

10. Haris Rauf (Pak)

11. AM Ghazanfar (Afg)

(With Inputs from Press Release)